


Boy Meets World has one of  the most realistic portrayal of child abuse

by cronaisawriter



Series: Misc Analysis [5]
Category: Boy Meets World, Girl Meets World
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Analysis, Character Study, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Domestic Violence, F/M, Found Family, Meta, Multi, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 01:59:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17972312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cronaisawriter/pseuds/cronaisawriter
Summary: A look into how Boy Meets World handles the story of Shawn Hunter's abuse and trauma.





	Boy Meets World has one of  the most realistic portrayal of child abuse

**Author's Note:**

> I recommend that in tandem with this piece you check out the Shawn Hunter chapter of the analysis series on the topic of Shawn Hunter
> 
> CW: child abuse, alcoholism, victim blaming & domestic violence

The show was in a lot of ways a very common story. It has the awful will they won’t they romances, close-knit friend groups, marriage, break up make stories, dumb kids, sibling disagreements, weird plot holes, bad comedy and bullies. But what are one of the most standout aspects and one of the things that make me put it above another sitcom stories is Shawn’s story. I enjoy him from reality and enjoyable line but is such a surprising well depicted traumatized teen. 

Many character aspects, plot lines and tropes are depicted so accurately and makes it stand out from other stories with troubled to traumatized kids and characters in general.

[I have an in-depth analysis of [Shawn as a whole character as a part of my Analysis Series](http://myfandomrambles.tumblr.com/post/181832517269/shawn-hunter-character-analysis-updated#notes)]

## Mental health:

The depression, anxiety and mood effects of C-PTSD are extremely well depicted even if they don’t name them. He consistently comments his own self-worth issues, is destructive and unmotivated. So it’ explicit in that manner, but goes father with the less known aspects. He is shown to have trouble with organization, sleep issues, lack of motivation applying across his life. Even some things around struggling with other self-care like eating properly and even hygiene a few times. Trust issues are also insanely visible only being broken with a few people, and the hypervigilance is shown in how reactive he can be.

The Longer analysis has more on mental illness symptoms that are presented around C-PTSD, BPD and Depression.

## Relationships:

His problem with being the one who “dates everyone” (a common cliche) is not portrayed for comedic value alone but clearly linked to his parentage and upbringing. There are of course a million and one jokes about it but veers away from your Joey Tribiani’s  _(Friends_ ) who it is seen as perfectly okay and funny until he is pretty old and needs to “settle down” but shows the harm on everyone involved while they’re still in the teens. 

In some over the top ways like the valentines day kidnapping arc ( _First Girlfriends Club_ ), but still, Shawn doesn’t want to be alone but his abuse makes it so hard to understand healthy relations. but on top of this, they don’t use the crappy history as a reason to treat people like shit like your Barney Stinson’s. He has to fix that shit and have episodes like  _Chick Like Me_ where they confront sexist ideas. These attitudes affect him and Angela from day one in  _I Love You, Donna Karan_  keeping him from really considering Angela someone he could be with and not being open to love. The fact he is replaying his dad and mothers relationships and trying way too hard to get the family he never had is front and centre. 

## Addiction:

Like wow, a show meant for kids went there. It doesn’t only do the PSA kind of “don’t drink" thing, glamorising it or the weirdly mixed portrayal of  _Glee_. It’s for sure anti teens drinking but has a surprisingly nuanced view on the subject avoiding the common (even within this show) after school special feel.

Starting with the most visible stories in  _If You Can’t Be With the One You Love…_ drinking is present as the wrong choice but shows more about why people do drink. Cory wants to act out because he’s pissed, and Shawn is quick to just say screw it and keep drinking because it’s easier and thinks people like the Matthew’s will think he’s shit anyway. Then he is actually shown to ask for help for addictive behaviours. Alan Matthews also clearly admits his own behaviour under the influence was dumb. This is also the episode that we here someone outright call Chet Hunter abusive and an alcoholic, Shawn jumps to defend himself and their father but it’s pretty clear Jack is being completely honest. 

Shawn admits the alcoholic part in this episode by saying he is prone to addiction from his family and I think the fact what makes her realise he has a problem is physically lashing out against the girl he really loves, something I think makes a lot of sense, when he realises he’s replaying the domestic violence he most likely saw and fights with his brother is what makes him change his behaviour and not the lecture they got before.  A pretty accurate depiction of people being reactively co-dependent with people. Making his whole identity around Cory.  _Things Change & It’s About Time_ being two of the most illustrative episodes. The thought of losing Cory to his Shawn is shattering for his whole self-conception which usually causing lashing out.

## Communication of Trauma:

Shawn’s ability to verbalize his trauma is so common to abuse survivors. He never outright describes a lot of events, often taking on the blame for events that happen. He locks people out who try to talk to him and even hides his past and family intentionally a few times  _Santa’s Little Helper & Pink Flamingo Kid_. Bringing up his family and self-worth issues is a huge trigger for him Like  _Wrong Side of the Tracks_. When he does talk honestly it tends to come either as gallows humour like  _Brave New World_  or under times of huge distress. 

This is clear throughout _We’ll Have a Good Time Then…_  When he gets hurt by his father he lashes out describing the continuous emotional and physical abandonment his father did, and how alone and isolated it made him feel. And realizing he is replaying the abuse to others. Later in that episode, he rants about the past when he feels that Jack is claiming the experience. This is a very clear affirmation of abusive alcoholism by Chet, that he is negligent even when there, and psychological/emotional abuse in giving and withdrawing affection and insults. There is so much honesty in the way he feels so broken and thinks it’s his fault. We see a huge breakdown and honesty under the influence of grief and alcohol in  _Family Trees_. 

This lack of being able to explain trauma and not having the words for his own mental health problems is so common with abuse victims. He’s never gotten help and doesn’t know how to ask for help or think he really deserves it. But he isn’t a stoic type of person, generally, people who struggle with verbalizations are presented as closed off clinical people like Temperance Brennan ( _Bones_ ) or the Stoic type like Leroy Jethro Gibbs ( _NCIS_ ). He can’t discuss his trauma but overall is an expressive and emotional person.

##  Others Reactions:

This is sad but annoyingly true. Even the people who start to see the pattern, the adults, they never put a stop to it. Shawn never formally reports or has any bruises, so nobody does anything. Alan and Amy have a lot going on, they’re always willing to help Shawn and he partly lives with them often but never really takes the extra step. Clearly pointing out that Chet sucks and Verna never being there, but I don’t think quite understanding the extent of the problem till it’s too late. Feeny fears admitting he was such an important father figure to Shawn or any of the kids,  

Then Mr Turner makes me kind of mad. He had more pieces of the story than anyone else. He knew of the previous history of neglect and had seen the man’s weird way of interacting with Shawn. Knew he had abandoned and left Shawn homeless. Saw the patterns of clear distress and destructive behaviour Shawn showed. And even had the opportunity to take guardianship over him, and even be able to possibly get custody. And he didn’t and I’m salty about it. [Long rant on that here](http://myfandomrambles.tumblr.com/post/171214867628/okay-so-i-love-jonathan-turner-for-the-most-part)

## No stigmatizing Cycle of Abuse:

Showing the effects of the domestic abuse being replayed by Shawn but not the cycle model of abuse victim becomes the abuser. Shawn’s parents constantly fight loudly expressly. They both drink too much and we see they lie to each other quite a bit. We know Jack said Chet was violent with his mother ( _If You Can’t Be With the One You Love…)_  and considering Chet never fixed the behaviour I’m going to assume he was physically violent with Verna to. We also see Chet could never commit to a real job and didn’t try very hard at that. Chet also cheated more than once. Shawn clearly doesn’t have healthy relationship skills and he is never really able to develop those on his own. He replicates quitting before finishing and not feeling like he could be more. Has huge commitment issues and hates letting other people in. When confronted with conflict can’t defuse it with anybody. He is not that level of abusive with his partners and isn’t a cheater so not as bad, but did suffer.

## Other things:

 _Cult Fiction_  is kind of over the top, but the idea of someone who has all of those mental health problems joining a cult is really accurate. Cults heavily recruit disaffected and abused youth. It goes way to fast of course but is kind of relatable, other people will manipulate young abuse survivors. Shawn also perfectly described experiences of childhood trauma of feeling like you’ve always been broken and missing something, and the whole in my chest depression feel.

His reaction to helping physical abuse victim  _In Dangerous Secret_  showing the likelihood he was abused. [Wrote more on that here](http://myfandomrambles.tumblr.com/post/176193201608/crying-over-fishing-for-verna)

The manipulative way people use displays of affection in abuse Chet hunter reportedly promises to do better. He guilt trips Shawn with memories and family photos but never really commits. His mother plays the victim and martyr and never stays.[ Wrote all about that in an analysis of  _Fishing For Verna_](http://myfandomrambles.tumblr.com/post/176498114288/so-i-was-thinking-about-dangerous-secret-4x08#notes)

Affirmation of the Matthews, Feeny and Topanga being his family. That chosen family stuff is my fave and I love it. Along with Shawn’s mixed emotions towards his family and childhood. 

## Stuff I Hate:

Never using the word “abuse” clearly for what Shawn went through, and never really using any mental health terms when they are applicable. Even common terms like depression in a non-colloquial manner.

Putting a lot of weight on blood family and weirdly backtracking affirming he was wrong. It’s fine that Shawn does love him but when he says he does love him to the Chet hallucination and including him in the Finale bothers me, it undercuts Allan’s offer to adopt Shawn and that they did show Shawn moving back in with Shawn because he felt alienated from Mr Turner was bad.

GMW making it seem like all he did was leave them once. And that for who knows what fucking reason having him giving Shawn advice to go out with Katy! Like please no, Chet is abusive plain and simple. This ties with the kind of flattening of trauma on a whole, and the Disnified world smoothing out the more hard aspects like addiction, using sex to harm himself and more harsh abuse. Including not outright stating Shawn’s biological mother was a stripper and he was born from an extramarital affair. 

GMW even going harder to stay that nuclear family is the most important thing. That Shawn won’t be happy till he has that along with that the family of choice and even his half brother he has to be married with a kid. I love his relationship with Maya that felt authentic but TBH we all know he doesn’t love Katy more than Cory. Coy and Shawn are like so gay subtext but even more so the chosen family arc was crazy powerful and I don’t like this heteronormative BS. Not to mention backtracking the implications about Katy being more like Chet/Verna so they could have a “forgiveness” arc and make this nuclear family ending. 

I included Chet Hunter’s depiction in my [analysis of abuse apolglism in media ](http://myfandomrambles.tumblr.com/post/172922323063/abuse-apologisim-okay-im-tired-of-seeing-people)

Stories told way to quickly. Many things happen in the course of 30-minute episodes that should be longer arcs. I mean I know why, but I hate it!

Homophobia/sexism/racism/classism and other general prejudicial attitudes of the show which infests like all of the show.

**Conclusion:**

This show is really special to me and Shawn Hunter is near and dear to my heart. This show is so far from perfect and a hot mess all over the place, with some very 90’s attitudes to some topics. But is very good and has the added benefit of being able to be a kids/teen show that can “go there” with heavier subjects without becoming CW over the top nonsense but avoids the modern handicaps we see with its sequel or other Disneyfied properties having to use coding to discuss difficult topics. I really like Shawn’s ability to be flawed but still a good person. He does face consequences for his bad actions but is also one of the most lovable and sympathetic characters. He is not forced to be a hateful person with a sob story but being a real person who can be dumb and have to learn as he goes but be someone always working to be better. An abuse victim who yeah his life sucks ass, but he is still a good guy who just has to work at moving forward. An inspirational dude, we stan.

**Author's Note:**

> So what did yall think? This was a quick thought that somehow became this long thing *shrugs*  
> This series also works partially on requested works. So don't hesitate to take a look at what I've written and shot me a requested topic I should look into.
> 
> Love to anyone who would read this over indulgent ramble


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